Country United States County Mercer Incorporated February 21, 1798 Area 40.78 km² Population 24,919 (2000) | State New Jersey Formed February 9, 1797 Named for Windsor, England Local time Friday 5:18 AM Area code 609 | |
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Weather 6°C, Wind N at 14 km/h, 53% Humidity | ||
East Windsor Township is a township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 27,190, reflecting an increase of 2,271 (+9.1%) from the 24,919 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,566 (+11.5%) from the 22,353 counted in the 1990 Census.
Contents
- Map of East Windsor NJ USA
- Geography
- Census 2010
- Census 2000
- Economy
- Local government
- Emergency services
- Federal state and county representation
- Politics
- Education
- Roads and highways
- Public transportation
- Notable people
- References
Map of East Windsor, NJ, USA
Both East Windsor Township and West Windsor Township were formed when Windsor Township was split on February 9, 1797, while the area was still part of Middlesex County. It was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships. Portions of the township were taken to form Hightstown borough (March 5, 1853, within East Windsor; became independent c. 1894) and Washington Township (March 11, 1860, and known as Robbinsville Township since 2007). The township was named for Windsor Township, which was named for Windsor, England.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 15.745 square miles (40.779 km2), including 15.648 square miles (40.529 km2) of land and 0.097 square miles (0.250 km2) of water (0.61%).
Twin Rivers (2010 Census population of 7,443) is a unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within East Windsor Township. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located completely or partially within East Windsor include Allens Station, Eilers Corner, Etra, Hickory Corner, Locust Corner, Millstone and Washington Oak.
The township borders Robbinsville Township and West Windsor Township in Mercer County; Cranbury Township, Monroe Township and Plainsboro Township in Middlesex County; and both Millstone Township and Upper Freehold Township in Monmouth County. East Windsor completely surrounds the independent borough of Hightstown.
The Meadow Lakes continuing care retirement community occupies a 100-acre (40 ha) site that straddles the East Windsor-Hightstown boundary line.
Census 2010
The 2010 United States Census counted 27,190 people, 10,224 households, and 7,167 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,737.6 per square mile (670.9/km2). The township contained 10,851 housing units at an average density of 693.4 per square mile (267.7/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 62.08% (16,880) White, 8.62% (2,343) Black or African American, 0.53% (145) Native American, 17.66% (4,802) Asian, 0.06% (16) Pacific Islander, 8.31% (2,260) from other races, and 2.74% (744) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 19.64% (5,340) of the population.
Out of a total of 10,224 households, 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the township, 24.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.2 years. For every 100 females the census counted 95.2 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 92.1 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $84,503 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,345) and the median family income was $100,411 (+/- $4,485). Males had a median income of $70,057 (+/- $6,291) versus $44,089 (+/- $2,948) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $37,876 (+/- $1,490). About 3.0% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 24,919 people, 9,448 households, and 6,556 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,592.8 people per square mile (614.8/km²). There were 9,880 housing units at an average density of 631.5 per square mile (243.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 74.42% White, 8.90% African American, 0.20% Native American, 9.55% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 4.61% from other races, and 2.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.28% of the population.
There were 9,448 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.12.
The population of the township was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $63,616, and the median income for a family was $73,461. Males had a median income of $50,875 versus $35,260 for females. The per capita income for the township was $28,695. About 2.8% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Pharmaceutical firms located to East Windsor include Hovione, CoreTech, Aprecia, Sabinsa, Novotec and Windsor Labs.
Working Dog Winery is a vineyard and winery that dates back to a group established in 2001 that began with 3 acres (1.2 ha) of land planted with Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay grapes.
Local government
East Windsor Township is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Council-Manager form of government. The Council is made up of seven members elected at-large for four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either three or four seats up for vote in odd years as part of the November general election. In a reorganization meeting held in January after each election, the council selects a mayor and a deputy mayor from among its members.
As of 2016, members of the East Windsor Township Council are Mayor Janice S. Mironov (D, term on council ends December 31, 2019; term as mayor ends 2017), Deputy Mayor Peter V. Yeager (D, term on council ends 2019; term as deputy mayor ends 2017), Denise Daniels (D, 2017; appointed to serve an unexpired term), Marc Lippman (D, 2019), Alan Rosenberg (D, 2017), Perry M. Shapiro (D, 2017) and John Zoller (D, 2019).
In December 2015, the Township Council appointed Denise Daniels to fill the seat expiring in December 2017 that became vacant following the death of Hector Duke earlier that month.
Designed during the 1970s energy crisis and constructed in 1982, the township's municipal building was constructed within a landscaped man-made hill, with only its south side exposed. The design allows the building to maintain a comfortable climate inside for most of the year, with greatly reduced energy needs. The passive solar design allows the building to reduce energy consumption by 60% compared to conventional office buildings of the same size.
Emergency services
East Windsor is served by East Windsor Rescue Squad District I (Squad 142) and Rescue Squad District II (Squad 146). Fire protection is provided by East Windsor Volunteer Fire Department 1 (Station 42) and Volunteer Fire Department 2 (Station 46). The Township is split for faster response times, with Rescue Squad District II and Fire Department 2 serving Twin Rivers and the eastern portion of the Township.
The East Windsor Police Department, located on One Mile Road, is led by Chief James A. Geary, and employs 37 uniformed patrol and Traffic Enforcement Officers, 9 Detectives, 7 Dispatchers and Communications Officers and one Animal Control Officer, for a total of 47 sworn officers.
Federal, state and county representation
East Windsor Township is located in the 12th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 14th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, East Windsor Township had been in the 12th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, East Windsor Township had been part of the 4th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.
New Jersey's Twelfth Congressional District is represented by Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, Ewing Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).
For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 14th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Linda R. Greenstein (D, Plainsboro Township) and in the General Assembly by Daniel R. Benson (D, Hamilton Township, Mercer County) and Wayne DeAngelo (D, Hamilton Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).
Mercer County is governed by a County Executive who oversees the day-to-day operations of the county and by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders that acts in a legislative capacity, setting policy. All officials are chosen at-large in partisan elections, with the executive serving a four-year term of office while the freeholders serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for election each year. As of 2014, the County Executive is Brian M. Hughes (D, term ends December 31, 2015; Princeton). Mercer County's Freeholders are Freeholder Chair Andrew Koontz (D, 2016; Princeton), Freeholder Vice Chair Samuel T. Frisby, Sr. (2015; Trenton), Ann M. Cannon (2015; East Windsor Township), Anthony P. Carabelli (2016; Trenton), John A. Cimino (2014, Hamilton Township), Pasquale "Pat" Colavita, Jr. (2015; Lawrence Township) and Lucylle R. S. Walter (2014; Ewing Township) Mercer County's constitutional officers are County Clerk Paula Sollami-Covello (D, 2015), Sheriff John A. Kemler (D, 2014) and Surrogate Diane Gerofsky (D, 2016).
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 14,729 registered voters in East Windsor Township, of which 5,194 (35.3%) were registered as Democrats, 2,120 (14.4%) were registered as Republicans and 7,396 (50.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 19 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 66.0% of the vote (7,156 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 32.7% (3,548 votes) and other candidates with 1.3% (143 votes), among the 11,821 ballots cast by the township's 15,852 registered voters (974 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 74.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 66.5% of the vote (7,659 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 31.4% (3,624 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (136 votes), among the 11,524 ballots cast by the township's 15,401 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 59.5% of the vote (6,180 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 37.7% (3,923 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (93 votes), among the 10,394 ballots cast by the township's 14,028 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 74.1.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 58.4% of the vote (3,736 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 39.7% (2,537 votes) and other candidates with 1.9% (119 votes), among the 6,536 ballots cast by the township's 15,663 registered voters (144 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 47.2% of the vote (3,439 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 45.5% (3,319 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.6% (411 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (79 votes), among the 7,288 ballots cast by the township's 14,999 registered voters, yielding a 48.6% turnout.
Education
Students in public school for kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the East Windsor Regional School District, a comprehensive public school district serving students from East Windsor Township and Hightstown Borough, along with students in grades 7 - 12 from Roosevelt Borough who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship.
Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are four K-5 elementary schools — Walter C. Black Elementary School with 576 students, Perry L. Drew Elementary School with 673 students, Ethel McKnight Elementary School with 603 students, Grace N. Rogers Elementary School with 605 students — Melvin H. Kreps Middle School grades 6 - 8 with 1,210 students and Hightstown High School with 1,346 students in grades 9 - 12.
Roads and highways
As of May 2010, the township had a total of 93.45 miles (150.39 km) of roadways, of which 68.99 miles (111.03 km) were maintained by the municipality, 10.71 miles (17.24 km) by Mercer County, 9.80 miles (15.77 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 3.95 miles (6.36 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
A number of county routes, such as CR 539, 571, 535 pass through the township. Route 33 goes through East Windsor, and then through Robbinsville Township and Monroe Township. U.S. Route 130 also goes through East Windsor which then goes through Robbinsville and Cranbury. Interstate 195 is outside the municipality in neighboring Robbinsville, Upper Freehold, and Millstone Townships.
In the late 1990s, the "Hightstown Bypass" (Route 133) was constructed. It starts at County Route 571 and terminates at I-95 (the New Jersey Turnpike). The entire highway is in East Windsor; there is a half-diamond interchange with One Mile Road, a three-quarter cloverleaf interchange with U.S. Route 130, and a full diamond interchange with Route 33.
The township also houses Exit 8 of the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95). The exit used to use a five-lane tollgate that connected with Route 33, but was replaced with a new interchange (and a bigger tollgate) in February 2013 that now connects directly to Route 133.
The Turnpike was widened with the construction of new outer roadways ("truck lanes") that extended the "dual-dual" roadways south to Exit 6 (Mansfield Township) from its former end at Exit 8A (Monroe Township). This project was completed in early November 2014.
Public transportation
East Windsor has a few bus stops on a route that passes through Monroe Township, and then makes its way to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. The nearest NJ Transit rail service is available at the Princeton Junction station. Shuttle bus service to the Princeton Junction station is available during rush hour. Mercer County offers a shuttle service providing access to major businesses and transportation hubs in the area along Route 130.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with East Windsor Township include: